Since February, Mr. Baptista's Spanish 4 Honors students have been traveling weekly to local schools (Park Side, Brook Haven, Apple Blossom, and Oak Grove) to lead lessons in Spanish vocabulary. Mr. Baptista began training his students at the beginning of the semester to prepare them for their teaching experience and ensure they create lesson plans that are relevant and developmentally appropriate for the age groups they work with.
The students plan their lessons a week in advance. Mr. Baptista reviews their lesson plans over the weekend, and they utilize the time during their first block period of the week to create handouts, visuals, and any other materials they need for their class at the end of the week. Then, on Thursday and Friday, they put all of their preparation to the test and lead their students in engaging and interactive lessons.
The learning doesn't stop there. The process is designed so that the Spanish 4 Honors students have multiple opportunities to receive feedback. Every week, their host teacher informally evaluates their work and provides written feedback that the students can incorporate into their next lesson. Another part of their weekly routine is to engage in self-reflection to hone their teaching practice. Once or twice a semester, they are formally evaluated by their host teacher as well as Mr. Baptista to support them as they continue to work toward their goals.
On Friday, April 3rd, Mr. Baptista observed two groups teaching first-grade classes at Park Side Elementary School. After a brief review, the Spanish teachers introduced new vocabulary-- objetos de la escuela y las formas. With a combination of written activities, call and response, and finding vocabulary words around the classroom, the first-graders were given a variety of ways to access and participate in the lesson. Both classes were lively, eager, and proud of the vocabulary words they had remembered from their last lesson. In just a matter of weeks, it is clear that the high schoolers have built a bond with their students and genuinely enjoy their time together. To see scenes from these first-grade Spanish lessons, head over to our Instagram page.